By The Pricking of My Heart
by AnimeGirlKairi
Summary: The Autumn people have returned, and they're ready to take their next victim. A Circus Darkrai tribute. (Image by spiderliing666 on DeviantArt, I encourage you to look at her artwork.)


Autumn was here again. The leaves brisking, changing, fading as a swift melancholic breeze rustled and shedded non-everlasting trees to their bare skeletons and exposing their ripe - young and old - ages. The sun, while not as crispy as it usually is, hid behind a thickness of gray and black and the occasional blue that the clouds shed and the rare vibrant bright yellow and light blue that flared when they were joyous and alive.

Nature was calling. Time to prepare for the feast of thanks and welcome the shadows and souls that had always dwelled on the other side, waiting to meet the world of the light and the brightness it had always given off ever since its existence was thwarted into being. It's time for the Autumn people to play.

And now, _He _was coming. Yes, the very spokesman of all Autumn people. Arriving in his dark, eerie train that played an interesting tune with its hidden windpipes and the screeching sound of the whistle. But, perhaps, the whistle was screaming…

He's bringing his circus, the very same kingdom, the empire, of the Autumn people. Oh, how they loathed their home. He loves it; he devours the fresh aura of despair and dread they carry. It fills him up, and he never seems to have enough of it! That smirk he wears when he watches the daisies wilt and slump to the ground, to hear their cries of anguish and sorrow, to smell the fear and bewilderment filter in and out of their minds. Such sustenance!

Oh...I'm sorry. You don't know who I'm talking about, do you?

"**Mr. Dark. That is my name, what is yours milady?" **That dark, mystic, and yet charismatic, voice brought me out of my daydream and I found myself staring straight into the icy blue eyes of the ringleader himself; the ringleader of Circus Darkrai.

Standing proudly with a height of beyond six feet, the slender Darkrai wore a frilly yet standardized suit that was darker than the night sky that, in which, coincided with his figure. His wisping hair and shoulder trills moved elegantly in the breeze that no longer existed and his high heels seemed to clip together in peppy enthusiasm. But, of course, who could forget his small top hat that hung limply on the side of his head, the very symbol of the dark ringleader himself?

Only staring at the famous anthro-pokemon with a small, embarrassed frown did I shake my head and turn away. However, his hand immediately met my wrist as he pulled me back towards him, his gaze questionable but highly curious.

"**What is ever the matter? Do I scare you?" **A small chuckle characterized that small smile of his as he continued to pull me closer, and closer, and closer still until I was an inch away from his chest. I wriggled the wrist he had a grip on in protest as I refused to stare any longer at that hypnotizing smirk.

"Please...leave me alone, this...was a mistake." I pleaded in a soft, trembling voice. I closed my eyes and imagined myself anywhere, anywhere but here, away from this frivolous pokemon that seems to entangle my heart in thin, sharp threads.

His smile fell as so did his grip on my wrist, my arm falling limply down by my side once more. He slid around my fragile figure and instantly placed his tender claws under my chin, close to my throat, and pushed it upwards in hopes of me seeing those dangerous eyes of his. **"Please, my dear, tell me what is troubling you. Is there anything I could do for you?"**

I remained silent and denied my eyes the permission to open, to try to see what lies beyond those horrendous eyes of his and gaze into that - darker than black - soul. I gulped as I pushed down on the hand that tried to lift my 'spirits', to 'comfort' me, but all it did was make those claws grip tighter until his whole hand pushed my chin upwards forcefully. I could feel the temperature drop instantly and chills raced down my spine. He was squeezing so hard, so very hard. I felt something warm trickle down my neck, it didn't take long to realize he must be pricking the bottom of my chin from pressing so hard, and my blood welcomed the outside world with its red symbol of coming death.

"**Is there anything that you would...wish for?"**

No, oh Arceus no. No, no, no, no, no, I didn't want this! I don't want to end up like the zombies he commands, drains, and whips into submission. I don't want to feel that sting of having your 'most wonderful wish' granted to only make the rest of your life a living hell because of it! No, no, no, no...I-I...don't want to live in that demonic world of his! That bleak world of the Autumn people!

"Get away from me, you monster!" I screamed, jerking his clawed hand away from my tainted chin and throwing my frail hand across his black, unamused face. Silence fell between us, only the resonating sound of my previous slap echoed in the chilly air. A breeze brewed, bringing me out of my trauma as I stared down incredulously at the hand pulsating a light pink. I looked up at the ringleader I had slapped, he stood there transfixed from the moment I laid my hand on him, as if time had stopped from that moment and refused to budge. That charismatic smile of his vanished completely and a scowl slowly plagued his uniformed cheeks. Eyes, that were briefly hidden in shadow earlier, glared at my porcelain ones as they burned a hole in the back of them.

Everything grew darker between him and I, his shadow seemed to grow in size and that figure of his blended into that corrupt darkness that sizzled the air. I was frozen in terror, I didn't know what to do. It was an accident, I swear! I didn't mean to hit him!

Without even blinking an eye, he had me by my throat, lifting me into the air mercilessly, watching as my feet scrambled to try reach the land once more. The grip before was nothing like this, I couldn't breathe at all! And more warm streams of liquid was felt as it stained my dress' collar a healthy red glow, a celebration of disaster it would seem. My face was flushed and I couldn't utter a word, not a single plea for forgiveness!

Will this be it? Will my life end here, by the devil himself?

My eyes, they're rolling upwards towards the sky...but they keep going as if looking for the safe haven I always believed would exist when I died. But no, instead my pupils took shelter in the back of my head and that's where they stayed as this monster continued to strangle me.

...I was warned to stay away from him, you know...but I couldn't help it...I couldn't help it…

...I fell in love with him...and yet I despised him...as the monster he was known to be by his people...and now I'm going to die by his hand...I guess I couldn't ask for a better death if I wished for it...no, I wouldn't have wanted to be a part of Autumn...I'm more of a…

...Winter person anyways…

It weakened, his grip on me weakened as he slowly brought me back to the ground. My eyes peeked from their sanctuary as I gasped for the faint flow of air rushing back into me. My feet met the floor, but they crumpled and I thwarted head first into the demon's chest in mid-consciousness. I gasped, I coughed, I gagged, I did everything I could to bring my body back to life as quickly as possible, but there was a lag in response and I was now a limp doll, a plaything for the relentless child cradling me.

I felt empty. It was like I wasn't all there. I was missing a few pieces; perhaps some of them made it to the other side without me?

"**You know, I don't like it when people touch me without my permission. I hope you learned from that." **He quietly voiced, rubbing my head softly like a lost puppy. **"But I also don't like it when I get angry, I don't think anyone does but I hate it more so when my reputation is on the line. You understand, don't you?"**

I am only confused by his statements, wasn't he trying to kill me earlier? What made him change his mind? People like me, he sees them as trash and a waste of his time...so why waste time on me?

The arms he cradled me in hugged me tighter, so close I could smell his natural aroma; an essence of burning leaves and cinnamon roasting together with pine cones on an open fire. It was so enticing, but the sound of him smelling my hair brought me back to reality.

"**You remind me of those days when it's cold and dark outside and it had just stopped raining, that smell of cold dew brings me back. Such nostalgia." **He commented, ruffling my hair a bit.

I couldn't help but feel a little...dirty. What does he see me as? A plaything? An old doll? It wasn't that long ago that he was about to rip my ripe soul out of this fragile body.

"**You know I didn't mean any of it, right?" **He said, gazing down at me with sympathetic eyes, his smile making an appearance once more. **"I didn't mean to...strangle you like that. I lose control sometimes when I'm enraged. I'm sure you experienced something like that before, everyone has."**

I quivered in distraught as I felt my missing pieces come back to me, and only then did I find my voice. "Why...why do you take so much interest in...me?"

"**Why indeed." **He replied, placing his claws once more under my chin and raising it until I met his icy eyes with mine. **"Maybe it's that charming soul of yours, perhaps my heart is drawn to it. I don't know, I'm being aroused by you...that's all I know." **He moved my chin over slightly and whispered into my exposed ear, **"...and I like it." **

Before I could process what was happening, he planted his luscious lips against mine and, once again, I felt my breath be stricken from me. I didn't know what to feel; happy? or enraged? This thing nearly killed me earlier and treats me like a mourning puppy, ready to give up on life. But at the same time, this heart of mine always desperately wanted to reach and touch that black one of his.

He pulled away and gawked at me amusingly, **"You know I never got an answer out of you earlier."**

I was lost again, this time in silent joy as everything turned into a seemingly misty dream. I looked at him with hollow, sleepy eyes, waiting for him to continue.

"**What do you want more than anything? What do you wish for?" **He continued, that sympathetic smile widening in anticipation.

I burrowed my head deeper into his chest, without thinking of what the consequences were anymore, I lazily replied. "Your heart. Not your physical heart." I elaborated. "I want you to love me unconditionally, and to not have any backfires to that wish. I want you to be mine and mine alone."

He rubbed my head again. **"I'm afraid I can't promise no backlashes, but I will grant your wish my dear."**

I numbly nodded my head, knowing full well that this dream might turn into a nightmare. But there was nothing I could do anymore, I could only accept it. If I didn't want this I would have never came to his kingdom in the first place, despite the warnings of his occupants.

"**Come." **He whispered, his hand trailing down my spine, grasping my lower back as he brought me up in a bridal style. **"Let us get some bandages for the wounds on your neck."**

Everything was a blur after that, the next thing I knew there was a black ring on my ring finger, beautifully laced bandages hiding the pricks of rage from before circling my neck, and my chest felt light...very light.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Anyone confused? Raise your hands. *Everyone's hand's raise* Alright, alright.**

**It's about a girl (which I made her so you can use your imagination to make her look how you see fit - you're welcome) who wanders into Cirus Darkrai, knowing full well about the ringmaster that grants wishes that has horrendous costs and makes the victim work for him in his Circus. And yet, she had fallen in love with him just by seeing glimpses of him in town (I know, it's a stretch) and seeks him out. But when she finally meets him, she feels shy and stupid for doing so and tries to run away (and you know what happens after that). Continuing on, she's trying to decide whether to be with him or get away from him. She decides to be with him, using her wish of course. **

**Her cost? Her physical heart. **

**Anymore questions just comment and I'll try to get back to you. Thanks for reading. **

**Kairi =^.^= **


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